Chapter 157
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 157
Gio had always known everything.
He knew that he had long since surpassed human standards, that the spirits of the dead had gathered to form Dana, and even how he appeared in the eyes of others.
"He just doesn’t place much meaning on it," Aria continued, swirling a glass flask.
"That’s why, despite knowing everything, he looks as if he knows nothing."
"Teacher’s bizarre level of indifference has always surprised those around him."
"Looking at him now, it doesn’t seem to be a trait he only developed after becoming a portrait."
Hadn’t Gio been just as consistent in that attitude when he was fully human?
"It really is strange, isn’t it?"
"Teacher was always special."
"I don’t know if 'special' is the right word, or if 'peculiar' fits better…"
"His way of thinking is quite unique."
"It’s a nature not easily found among humans."
Now, Gio was not a human but a portrait, a divinity, and a massive mystery that transcended all of those things. He was loved by the Construct and had become one with it.
"If he wanted to, my Teacher could do anything."
But those various powers held no value to Gio.
"The amazing part is that he can accept all of that as just another personality trait."
"Didn’t he perceive even the divinity of the previous Sun God as just a personality trait?"
"Even though it was the divinity of the very god I used to serve. I was utterly flabbergasted…"
If it were someone who didn’t know its value, Aria would have understood. But Giovanni had once been the most beloved priest, a promising talent of the Sun. A person like that couldn’t possibly be ignorant of the value and status of divinity, so this was simply an absurd level of boldness—or perhaps, indifference.
Aria continued as she organized the flasks filled with various liquids.
"What on earth would it take to make him think of himself as something other than human? To make him disappointed in humanity?"
Despite his countless powers and immense status, Gio firmly believed that they could never make him anything other than human. That belief was as natural and solid as his belief in his own existence.
"No matter what you throw at him, he’ll just think there’s no reason it makes him any less human."
"Even without testing him, I can easily guess how he would react."
"And to think, the only reason he was even slightly reluctant to use his divine authority was a simple matter of manners."
Aria felt ridiculous for having wondered if he couldn’t accept acting as a divinity because he viewed himself as human. Regardless of whether he was human or not, power meant absolutely nothing to Gio.
"And yet, the moment salvation was brought up, he accepted it immediately, didn’t he?"
"Though he himself would never use a grandiose word like 'salvation'."
Iser wore his characteristic smile.
"Hasn’t Teacher always been like that? He’s someone who values salvation over respect."
"And yet, the fact that he prefers good and polite beings is truly…"
"His preferences in people are separate from his own disposition, aren’t they?"
Just because he liked good and polite humans didn’t mean he himself had to be good and polite. Gio maintained boundaries and respected others, but if salvation was on the line, it was a different story.
If there was a wish that someone couldn’t bring themselves to speak, if they said no with their mouth but secretly sought help in their heart, or even if they genuinely refused salvation but those around them wished for it… Gio would act.
"Indeed, the Smiling Tyrant of the Sea Village."
"He still seemed to dislike that moniker."
"Well, the results were always good, so calling it tyranny is a bit of a stretch."
Watching from his side, there were times when one might think, ‘Isn’t that violence, not salvation?’ But in the end, those Gio reached out to always found happiness. That was the power Gio possessed.
"Looking at that, he’s certainly not a foolish person."
Gio always knew everything, but he processed it purely as information, not emotion. Because his attitude was so detached from worldly interests, he merely appeared to know nothing. Though that, too, was excellent image management that made him look like a mysterious sage.
"So, he probably has his own plans."
"Speaking of plans makes him sound like some grand mastermind hidden behind the scenes."
"Even if he seems to have nothing on his mind, Teacher is always preparing something."
"Though you can only see those plans in hindsight."
"In that case, this time… hmm…"
Having finished tidying up, Aria adjusted her loose white gown and fell silent for a moment before speaking.
"Teacher must also know the true identity of his lovely daughter."
"You mean that monster filled with the souls of the dead?"
"Yes, that monster taking the form of a cat."
It was a creature formed by the gathering of spirits killed by humans.
"The fact that Teacher truly considers her his child must be why she was able to grow so much."
"Having grown that much in the world of the Construct, where all kinds of deaths gather, that seems likely."
"There are probably various other reasons for her growth, but… will Teacher use her?"
"Since he was pondering a gift for the human named Ju-hyeon, he probably will."
Gio always knew what he had to do.
"There would be various reasons for giving such a gift. It was a wish that the human named Ju-hyeon couldn’t bring himself to speak out of shame, there was a need to adapt to his new position in accordance with the previous god’s wishes, and he likely wanted to give his daughter a chance to become his child completely."
Above all, wasn’t Gio going to live in the human world?
"He probably also wants to solidify his image as 'Mr. Seo Gio'."
"Whenever I catch a glimpse of that kind of clever intent, I get cognitive dissonance."
Behind that flawlessly gentle smile, he had already finished all his calculations long ago. Those around him had no way of knowing when he had started thinking that way, or what he knew.
"Teacher never accepts an outcome he doesn’t like. In fact, he never lets an undesirable future come to pass."
"Which is probably why he died like that."
"…He is alive now."
"Can you really call that being alive?"
"I wonder."
"Sometimes, it frightens me," Aria continued with her characteristic smile. "Because I never know when he’ll pull off another absurd stunt."
Gio was an uncontrollable variable.
"If he’s going to be like that, he shouldn’t be so lovely."
"……"
"I feel like I’ve entered into a highly unfair contract."
"…Sister…"
"Yes, Iser." The mermaid asked her younger brother, "What should we do now?"
They could never be forgiven by Teacher.
"I once hoped that he might come to hate humans, that he would distance himself and become hostile toward them… but it seems Teacher has resolved to love humans once again. And it seems that will be the case for a time bordering on eternity."
"I think we need to make our stance clear as well."
"You are right, Sister."
"…At least his roots…"
"……"
"…Well," Aria murmured. "Is it… responsibility?"
The end of her deliberation was drawing near.
*
"Ugh…"
Early February in South Korea was still freezing.
"Why is it so cold?"
The woman sniffled.
"Is it because it’s dawn…?"
The current time was just past 1:00 AM. In truth, that wasn’t particularly late. The standard clock-out time was only 8:00 PM on average; plenty of office workers left even later.
‘In the past, there would have been a few more people on this street.’
The woman looked around the empty street. The electronic signboards protruding from the alleyways flickered with static, and most were already turned off. Somewhere on the asphalt, slushy from melted snow, she could hear the squeaking of mice.
"……"
Through the gaps between the old, rusty buildings, the city center came into view. That place, far cleaner and more sophisticated than her neighborhood on the outskirts, was still flashing with neon signs, unlike this commercial district which had already shut down. For some reason, her heart felt empty.
‘…Maybe it’s because of that terror incident, but there seem to be even fewer people.’
A dungeon gate had opened right inside the Sun Cult of all places, and every person inside had been dragged in. Having been directly involved, the woman still remembered the situation vividly. Since that day, she had avoided crowded places as much as possible. Other citizens who had heard of the incident probably felt the same way. That was why the streets were so deserted.
‘And since this is a mix of residential and commercial areas, this street is usually quiet at this hour anyway.’
Sniffling from the cold, the woman huddled deeper into her padded coat.
"Damn it, a company dinner of all things…"
Ending at 1:00 AM might be considered early, but she was still upset. She had to be back at work by 6:00 AM; she couldn’t understand how those heavy drinkers had such endless stamina.
It was then, as the woman was walking with her head down, that she heard it.
"Meow."
"……?"
The cry of a cat.
‘…Wait, that’s a bit strange.’
It was an incredibly precise "meow," almost as if a human had recorded it. As someone who quite liked cats, she knew that most of them cried with sounds like ‘screeech’ or ‘mreow’.
No matter how much the city was protected by the Association and the government, this was an area near the outskirts, quite close to the slums. Feeling a bit tense, the woman scanned the darkened street.
"…Oh."
And then she spotted it.
"A cat."
It was a large cat, sparkling with a deep blue light like the Milky Way in the night sky.
"Oh my god, what is that? Is it a monster…?"
"Meow."
"It doesn’t look dangerous."
It was incredibly beautiful. Of course, just because a monster looked harmless didn’t mean it actually was. However, the probability that it was an indigenous monster she didn’t recognize wasn’t low, either, so the woman slowly backed away, putting distance between herself and the cat.
And then, thud!
"Aaaah, mommy—!!!"
"Oh dear."
"H-Heeek…! Wh-Whoa!"
Just as the woman was about to have a fit from something solid touching her back, a voice spoke.
"I seem to have startled you."
"H-Huh…!"
Stumbling as she turned around, she saw a man looking down at her.
"Please, calm down."
"……"
"Excellent. You did well."
"…Uh…"
The gentle, quiet voice, sounding as if he were teaching a young student, gradually calmed her pounding heart. Though her chest still heaved as she took shallow breaths, the woman soon realized she wasn’t in any real danger.
"…Oh…!"
And then, she recognized him.
"Hunter Seo Gio?!"
"Oh, you remembered me."
"W-Well… you left quite an impression."
"I’m glad you think of me fondly."
"No, I mean, yes…!"
Feeling that they were too close, the woman took a step back. Only then did she get a clear view of the tall Hunter’s face. Platinum blonde hair like the sun or the moon, and blue eyes that looked like shattered light. Along with that divine smile characteristic of a believer…
"Wow."
"Is something the matter?"
"I was just a bit surprised."
Even seeing it again, his face was nothing short of a masterpiece.
‘Can’t they register that as a cultural asset?’ she thought. It was a face well worth preserving.
"What brings you here? I remember you were working as an unofficial Hunter. Are you out on a mission today, too…? It’s so good to see you again. You don’t really appear on TV, so there was no way to know how you’ve been."
"I can see that you are truly happy to see me."
"W-Was I too excited? I’m sorry. I really wanted to meet you again and say hello, but I had no way to contact you… Though I suppose contacting a Hunter personally is very rude. Even the Collector didn’t say much."
Meeting him by chance like this made her incredibly happy.
"But really, what brings you here…?"
"I came to help a friend."
"A friend?"
"Yes."
Having said that, Hunter Seo Gio looked toward the alley and called out.
"Dana."
The cat replied to his call.
"Mreow."
"Oh, so cute."
"Ack."
Making a surprisingly cat-like sound, the cat walked out of the darkness and approached Hunter Seo Gio’s feet. The cat, as large as a Maine Coon, rubbed its body against his calves. After a brief display of affection, it sat down at his feet.
"Mmm."
"Good girl."
Hunter Seo Gio stroked her head, and the cat closed her eyes, enjoying his touch.
"…Ah, right. That’s right." Finally making sense of the situation, the woman nodded. "I think you said you were a Tamer. It was true."
"I suppose I didn’t look like a Tamer to you."
"Well, you have such a strong image of a priest…"
"That’s understandable." Gio smiled and continued. "Honey, whom you saw last time, is also here."
A honey-colored bird, as small and round as a child’s fist, peeked its head out from the hood of his cloak. The tiny bird tilted his head at the woman before retreating back inside.
"He seems to be shy."
"I-I understand. Monsters don’t usually like humans."
Having been a fan of Hunters before, the woman knew a bit about their 'Jobs'. Tamer was an extremely rare Job, but just because one succeeded in taming didn’t mean the relationship between the contracted beast and the master was necessarily close.
"I heard most contracted beasts don’t like their masters, but you two seem to get along incredibly well. As expected of a Hunter from the Collector…"
"I think it’s because I care for them like my own children."
"It must not have been easy to care for a monster to that extent. I think you’re amazing. Ah, um, am I taking up too much of your time?"
"Not at all." Hunter Seo Gio tilted his head and asked, "By any chance, do you know where Gita Orphanage is?"
"Gita Orphanage?"
The man’s voice was far too calm and steady for someone looking for directions, creating the illusion that he already knew everything and was just asking for confirmation.
‘If he came for a mission, the Collector would have given him the location. But he said he came because of a friend… Did he come in a hurry? Or maybe he came in secret as a surprise for his friend?’
The woman was lost in thought for a moment, but soon, a troubled smile—typical of someone asking a passerby for help—spread across Hunter Seo Gio’s sculpted, perfect face. Only then did she snap out of it.
‘I shouldn’t be zoning out with someone right in front of me. Am I out of it because I’m tired? Thinking such weird things…’
Shaking off her silly thoughts, the woman returned to reality and pondered.
"Oh, if it’s Gita Orphanage…" She replied with a troubled expression, "It burned down not too long ago."
"Ah, yes." Hunter Seo Gio said with a pleased look, as if that was exactly what he wanted to hear. "I’m looking for that building."
"That building?"
Since it was an abandoned building in a secluded spot, monsters might be living there. Perhaps he really did receive a tip-off and came for his friend.
‘It seems he came without hearing the details from his friend. Maybe he’s trying to resolve it secretly so his friend won’t feel burdened.’
Indeed, the Hunter Seo Gio she remembered was someone who suited the maxim, ‘Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.’ After all, wasn’t he the Hunter who hadn’t released a single article even after helping people at the Deep Sea Temple?
‘There were rumors that he was shy. I thought it was just talk, but seeing this, maybe he’s the type who finds it burdensome to be thanked for his help.’
The woman nodded at her conclusion. "Yes, I know where it is. Shall I show you?"
"I’m sorry to ask, since you seem to be on your way home from work. I will shamelessly accept your help."
"The streets in this neighborhood are quite complicated. Besides, if it weren’t for you, Hunter, I would have been dead already, so this is nothing…"
"It was because you cooperated with a good heart that we were all able to escape."
"Wow, how can someone speak so pleasantly?"
The woman felt a pang of regret.
‘If he were an official Hunter, I would have made a fan account ages ago.’
Swallowing her regret, the woman led the way. No matter how deserted and secluded it was, this was still a part of a city where people lived. With streetlights and electronic signs occasionally casting light, it wasn’t pitch black.
Soon, she led Hunter Seo Gio to Gita Orphanage.
"This seems to be… the orphanage you mentioned."
Looking at the burned-down building, she felt a bit strange.
‘I heard people died here. It’s giving me goosebumps.’
Not that she doubted Hunter Seo Gio, who had saved her life, but coming to such a deserted place was dangerous. Looking at the abandoned building, the woman smiled awkwardly and asked, "C-Could I wait until you’re finished? I’m too scared to go back alone…"
"Of course. I was planning to do so as well. It is dangerous to go home alone at such a late hour." Hunter Seo Gio nodded readily, his eyes curving gently as he continued, "It won’t take very long."
"Ah, really? Did you come to hunt a monster after all…?"
"No," he said. "I came to make a friend."
"……"
Perhaps it was just her imagination, but his voice sounded as if it were submerged in the sea.
"…? Ah, well…"
Did he come to tame a new monster? Just as the woman was thinking within the limits of her common sense, Hunter Seo Gio stroked the cat’s head with a gentle hand and spoke.
"Dana."
The cat replied.
"Meow."
The replies continued.
"Meow."
"Meow…"
"…Meow…"
The cat’s moon-like eyes curved.
"Meow."
Immature, youthful voices.
‘…It sounds like bells.’
As this strange impression crossed her mind, something caught the woman’s eye. Unfamiliar children, mimicking the cat’s meows, walked out of the abandoned building.
"Meow…"
"The kitty called us."
"It went meow."
"I went meow too, kitty."
"Meow!"
A series of rambling, childlike sentences followed. A girl with her hair in a ponytail. A boy with a mischievous look. A child taking cautious steps, seemingly timid. A child walking over with heavy steps, sniffling. A child tightly hugging the large cat as if welcoming it…
"…Oh."
At the end of the line of children, another person appeared.
"……"
"……"
An elderly woman, wearing an apron, let all the children out with an awkward smile. When her eyes met Hunter Seo Gio’s, she bowed her head deeply in greeting.
"…Please take care of them."
"Won’t you come with us?"
"I have a different god I serve."
"I would like to hear that god’s name."
"My god illuminates the world with moonlight."
"I will visit you with the children before long."
"…Yes, if you would do that…"
"You won’t be lonely."
The silent elderly woman burst into tears.
"…Thank you."
And when the woman blinked once…
"……"
"……"
There was no one there.
"…Uh, uh… huh?"
"Since I’ve finished my business, I will escort you home."
"Uhhh?"
"Oh dear, are you alright?"
"Uhhh??"
Only then did the woman realize she had seen ghosts.
*
By the window of the abandoned building, Ju-hyeon, who had been watching everything, finally collapsed. His tear-choked voice trembled miserably.
"…I’m sorry…"
"No, it’s not."
"I’m sorry. If only I had done a little better…"
"It’s alright, Ju-hyeon."
"I’m so sorry."
"It’s not your fault."
"It’s my… it’s my fault…"
A reunion made possible by the twisted logic and providence of a merciful Evil God.
"…I’m sorry for hurting you…"
Ju-hyeon received his friend’s gift.